One Week
by Atra Aduro
Summary: Naruto is ignoring me. Let me say that again, just in case you didn’t get it the first time. Naruto. Is. Ignoring. Me. Me, Uchiha Sasuke, Konoha heartthrob, star ninja, brooding avenger. I’m being ignored.
1. Ignored

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, and if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't share it with you.**

---

Naruto is ignoring me.

Let me say that again, just in case you didn't get it the first time.

Naruto.

Is.

Ignoring.

_Me._

Me, Uchiha Sasuke, Konoha heartthrob, star ninja, brooding avenger.

I'm being ignored.

---

It started with the usual, we sparred, bantered for a bit, and sparred again. This has been our ritual for the past year or so, and will remain our ritual. Or so I thought. We were walking back from the training grounds we'd been using, planning on going to Ichiraku (The dobe's idea, of course). So, we're just walking, not talking, not doing anything. Hell, we weren't even looking at each other.

Then, out of no where, the idiot pushes me, cocks his head, and proclaims, "I'm angry."

Where the _hell_did that come from? We weren't even arguing! There was nothing between us, we were just walking along like two normal eighteen year olds instead of the killing machines that we are. There was no verbal combat, there were definitely no weapons or jutsu about to be brandished. And the idiot decides he's angry.

So, I just kind of stared at him. He was standing there with a hand on his hip, his head turned to one side, eyes cold, and smile gone. After a minute or so, I realized that Uchiha Sasuke does not stare speechless at anyone, least of all his blonde teammate. It just isn't done. I always have some cunning retort on the tip of my tongue, ready to slice into the one who dares confront me.

Except now.

After realizing that I need to say _something_, or the moron will keep glaring at me. And we're drawing a bit of attention. Turns out that Naruto decided to stage this little face off right in front of the Yamanka flower shop. And guess who happened to be behind the counter? Yeah, that's right. Ino, my number one fan. Oh, and don't forget the crowd of people that just so happened to also be in her family's store at that very moment. She comes outside, dragging what looks like half of the village out with her. Turns out, none of the Konoha 11 (They'd never changed it to Konoha 12 after I returned. Ouch.) had missions that day, and they'd all had a dying need to grab some flowers. To make things worse, the Kazekage and his two siblings happened to be in town, and they happened to be walking by that very street.

Now that I realize that I'm being watched by a pretty large group of people, my mouth is dry. I try to speak, and nothing comes out. Imagine that, Uchiha Sasuke suddenly struck down by stage fright! It's so idiotic! Seriously, since when do I get nervous. The crowd can tell, too. They're turning around, covering their mouths with their hands, and whispering into each others' ears. Idiots. Don't they know that just makes it more obvious that they're sharing secrets? Why Konoha hasn't been conquered by now is beyond me, with this group of geniuses on the front line. Anyway, after several seconds of looking like a fish out of water, I finally manage to croak out, "Why?"

_"Why?"_

That's it. No cunning rebuttal. No scathing remark. No witty retort. Just… _"Why?"_ That's all I said. I didn't even add an insult after that! Where's the man whose gaze can send tendrils of fear into any battle hardened shinobi? Where is the man who had a vocabulary so extensive, scholars listened to his debates in awe? Not the ones with Naruto, of course. Its just a figure of speech. But that isn't the point. The point is, for the first time in years, I couldn't think of anything to say.

So, now I'm standing there, looking like an idiot. Naruto's still a few feet away, still in that ridiculously feminine pose, still glaring at me. Then, he blinks, shoots me one last heated glare, and turns around. He walks away. Like I'm not even worthy of a response! This had never, ever happened before. Where was the blonde idiot with a temper as short as he was in our genin years? Where was my teammate, who rose to any and all challenges with a cheery smile and loud announcement? Where was my dobe?

Apparently, not there. I was left standing alone in the middle of the circle of onlookers, wondering what just happened. Our audience was likewise shocked. Actually_, my_ audience, since Naruto had left.

---

Its been one week since that day. Every day, I've gone to our training ground, hoping the idiot will show up and explain. Every day, I've been disappointed. He doesn't show. I heard from a reliable source that my blonde had taken up training with Hyuuga Neji. Neji, of all people. Hello, Idiot! He used to hate you!

…

Well, so did I, but, once again, so not the point. Besides, I didn't really hate him. I just tried to. God, that doesn't sound any better, does it?

Back on topic, I've still gone to the training ground, even after learning that little fact. Who knows, maybe he'll show up. I doubt it, though. Besides being stood up every one of the past seven days, when I see Naruto on the street, he magically seems to loose his sense of hearing. I can call his name all I want, but he doesn't even glance in my direction. Maybe I should have Tsunade check that out.

Seriously, though. I'm not sure if I should be glad or disappointed that it's our week off. On one hand, if we had missions, he'd pretty much have to talk to me. You can't complete an A-Ranked mission without some form of communication. But that's just it. What if he didn't talk to me? At all. God knows the idiot's stubborn enough. If that happened, we'd almost definitely fail the mission, and when asked why, we'd have to tell Tsunade the truth, because the rest of the squad would be their, and then she'd take our masks away and probably make us teach a group of genin. I do not want that. Not a bit.

So, I'll wait this out. Naruto has to forgive me sometime, right?

Oh, and speaking of forgiveness, I'm beginning to feel guilty, like this is my fault. I don't even know what that moron is mad about, nevermind how it relates to me! Gah, he's getting in my head!

---

(A/N:) This is definitely going to be a multi-chaptered fic. I'm not really sure where its going, but I want to continue it…you know?

Heh, I don't even know what I'm talking about, so I don't really expect you to.

I was listening to One Week, by the Bare Naked Ladies when writing this. The song kind of inspired the fic. This chapter is the first two lines. Scroll to the top of the page for my thoughts on this subject.

I don't know if I'm going to do the rest of the fic following the song, or not. I have some ideas, but nothing is concrete. If you're interested, expect a new chapter up on or by Monday, July 9. I'd probably have it up sooner, by I'm going over Sunni's house. XDDD

Oh, and I'm not sure what this format is supposed to be: a journal, or just Sasuke's thoughts?

I'm leaning towards the latter, just because I can't see Sasuke keeping a diary. – giggles at the thought –

P.S.: This is my fifth time changing this little ending note, but this time its to say that this fic is set about three years after the start of Shippuuden, so the Rookie 9 and Gaara are all around 18, Team Gai is about 19, Temari is 21, and Kankurou is 20. In case you were wondering.

Sasuke and Naruto are ANBU by now. Please don't ask me how they advanced so quickly, how Sasuke came back to Konoha, or anything about Akatsuki. I really have no idea, but I might put answers in later chapters.

Laters.


	2. Ridiculed

**Disclaimer: Get off your last ****arse**** and look at the one last chapter.**

---

Good news.

Naruto isn't ignoring me any more.

Nope, now we've progressed into full, all out obvious contempt.

Hoorah.

---

Well, I was pretty shaken up after being ignored for a week. Because, really, when have I ever been ignored? Not counting my _dear_ brother Itachi, of course. He couldn't care less what happened to me, that bastard. STILL GOING TO KILL YOU!! Ah…I'm getting off subject, aren't I? So…where was I? Oh, yeah. Naruto.

Naruto.

NARUTO.

The idiot had been denying my very existence for a week, right? That in itself was weird. The being ignored thing, I mean. Usually I'm smothered with attention. But without Naruto's half-brained insults, it felt like the whole world had put me on its hit list, you know? Probably not. I'm not even sure what I mean. Whatever.

So, I was being ignored. And Naruto was the ignorer. Is ignorer even a word? I'll have to look that up later…Expand my vocabulary, you know? ...Right. Off subject. Again. Ever since that whole Orochimaru thing, I do that a lot. Sorry. But, um…yeah. Naruto was the one ignoring me. Now, let me say one thing here, just to make sure you realize how abnormal this is. Naruto wears an orange jumpsuit. Naruto screams and shouts and runs around in circles. Naruto plays loud, obvious, and obnoxious pranks. He is the worst shinobi I've ever met. And, yet, somehow the best. But, as far as I know, he has never ignored anybody.

Hell, from what I've heard, the whole three years I was in Otokagure, he wouldn't even shut up about me! "I'm gonna save Sasuke, dattebayo!" "He's going to come back, you'll see!" "Psh, there's no way I'll let that bastard one-up me!" I mean, hello! I tried to _kill_ you, you idiot! Why would you even want to see me, never mind rescue me?!? Oh, and, apparently, after I tried to _kill_ him _again_, it became even worse. Sakura says its like the dobe had some weird virus that made him obsess over me. Of course, when I came back to Konoha (That's right, came back! That idiot was off in Suna when I came home! Looser…), he denied this. Still does, as a matter of fact. Aaaaand, I'm getting off topic again.

Right, so far we've established that it is nearly impossible for Naruto to ignore someone. Yet he was ignoring me, and I still have no idea why. Well, that was about to change. And, damn, I wish I could rewind time and have him ignore me again.

---

So, there I was. Just walking to the laundromat so I could do my laundry. Why the Uchiha compound has no washing machines, I'll never know, but it doesn't. So, I have a mountain of dirty clothes. This wasn't a problem, really. I am a shinobi, after all. I'm trained to have perfect balance. I was fine. Walking along the street, wondering how much that damn man at the counter was going to stare at me this time. I should've done laundry about a week before, but I was distracted, so I didn't. Mistake number one.

I'd decided to try and wash everything from the past two weeks in one trip. Mistake number two.

I wasn't really paying attention to my surroundings, because I was too busy thinking of that idiot of mine. Mistake number three.

I failed to recognize said idiot's chakra signature getting stronger as we got closer. Mistake number four.

And, finally, when we did come into each other's sight, I ignored the look of malice that flashed across his features as he talked to Shikamaru and that Suna wench. Mistake number five.

A few seconds later, I found myself flying through the air, my dirty laundry going everywhere. As I landed flat on my _face_, with my fucking _clothes_ falling all over the street, I heard something. Laughter. Incredulous, I sat up and turned around to look at the perpetrator, warming up the Death Glare of Doom ®.

It was _Naruto_ And he was laughing at me! But not even his normal, carefree laugh. Nope, this laugh was higher, sharper, and colder. For one brief second, I felt a tiny flicker of warmth, because he was at least recognizing my existence. That was gone in an instant, though, as I realized this new laugh reminded me of someone.

_Orochimaru_

Trying my best not to run off screaming and/or wet my pants, I got up and faced Naruto, aiming the Death Glare of Doom ® in his direction. The laughter faded away (But by now, everyone else had joined in, and they didn't stop), and I thought my gaze had weakened his inferior mind. Then he just sneered at me, and said, "Hope you had a nice _trip_, Sasuke, see you next _fall_." He really does need to work on his witty insults.

The worst thing, though? I started to blush. I was like, 'What the hell! I don't blush!' But, apparently, I do. At least, that's what the warm feeling crawling up my neck and spreading across my checks was saying. And the increased volume of laughter around me. And the widening smirk on Naruto's whiskered cheeks. Oh. My. God! I was _blushing_!!

Then, in a scene oddly familiar to one that occurred a week ago, Naruto turned his back on me. He gestured to Shikamaru and the kunoichi, and the three of them began to walk away. Once again, I was left looking like an idiot in the middle of a circle of onlookers, my mouth flapping ridiculously. Before he turned the corner, though, Naruto said, "Get that together, come back and see me." He didn't even look at me.

But, he had invited me to see him? That's good, right? Unless he's planning some new form of ridicule. Hm…I'll make sure to bring lots of kunai when I go to his house. And shuriken. Oh, and I can't forget the exploding tags. Or the senbon. I should probably make a list…Once again, off subject. I'll finish the story of this _delightful_ Wednesday morning.

I finally regained my senses, and I began picking up my clothes from their positions all over the street. Let me tell you, they somehow managed to get to each end of the block, in every weird place imaginable. I had just managed to tug a pair of boxers out from under a sleeping baby when my Shinobi Senses started tingling. All too familiar with this particular type of danger, I began picking up my assorted garments at a speed of which Rock Lee would be jealous. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough.

I heard them before I saw them. Loud shrieks and shouts and screams, saying the oddest things you could imagine. I spotted them turning the corner a second later, a blur of pink and baby blue and other pastel colours. The fangirls had arrived.

Needless to say, I never got my laundry done.

---

Its been five days since then. Five days I've spent curled up in bed, repeating comforting words to myself, trying to soothe my poor, poor, brain. God, the mental images those animals produce! I hate them more than I hate Itachi, I swear! Well, maybe not that much. But it's a close call.

I still haven't gathered the courage to go see Naruto.

I still haven't figured out what I did wrong in the first place.

I still haven't got all the lipstick off my face.

I'm beginning to gather my courage, though.

I'm beginning to understand that maybe it isn't all my fault.

I'm beginning to look through Itachi's old magazines. (They have some great tips for removing makeup)

I'm _really_ beginning to wish I stayed a missing-nin.

---

**(A/****N:** Well, there's Chapter 2. This is pretty much the third line of the song. Same song as last chapter, so don't ask.

That's it for now.

Bye.


End file.
